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As an emerging technology, the efficient and energy conserving process of permanent magnetic drive (PMD) presents high uncertainties. This paper designs a type of Begian--Melek--Mendel (BMM) structure interval type-2 fuzzy logic systems (IT2 FLSs) for PMD process uncertain parameters forecasting. The antecedent, consequent, and input measurements of systems are all selected as the Gaussian type-2 primary membership functions with uncertain standard deviations. Then the backpropagation algorithms are used to tune the parameters of IT2 FLSs. According to the Monte Carlo simulation studies and convergence analysis, the proposed IT2 FLSs are proved to be superior to two corresponding T1 FLSs in generalization ability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dealing with the packet-routing problem is challenging in the V2X (Vehicle-to-Everything) network environment, where it suffers from the high mobility of vehicles and varied vehicle density at different times. Many related studies have been proposed to apply artificial intelligence models, such as Q-learning, which is a well-known reinforcement learning model, to analyze the historical trajectory data of vehicles and to further design an efficient packet-routing algorithm for V2X. In order to reduce the number of Q-tables generated by Q-learning, grid-based routing algorithms such as the QGrid have been proposed accordingly to divide the entire network environment into equal grids. This paper focuses on improving the defects of these grid-based routing algorithms, which only consider the vehicle density of each grid in Q-learning. Hence, we propose a Software-Defined Directional QGrid (SD-QGrid) routing platform in this paper. By deploying an SDN Control Node (CN) to perform centralized control for V2X, the SD-QGrid considers the directionality from the source to the destination, real-time positions and historical trajectory records between the adjacent grids of all vehicles. The SD-QGrid further proposes the flows of the offline Q-learning training process and the online routing decision process. The two-hop trajectory-based routing (THTR) algorithm, which depends on the source–destination directionality and the movement direction of the vehicle for the next two grids, is proposed as a vehicle node to forward its packets to the best next-hop neighbor node in real time. Finally, we use the real vehicle trajectory data of Taipei City to conduct extensive simulation experiments with respect to four transmission parameters. The simulation results prove that the SD-QGrid achieved an over 10% improvement in the average packet delivery ratio and an over 25% reduction in the average end-to-end delay at the cost of less than 2% in average overhead, compared with two well-known Q-learning grid-based routing algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document is an interview with Shang-yang Chen, the first author of a paper titled "C. elegans spermatocyte divisions show a weak spindle checkpoint response" published in the Journal of Cell Science. Chen is a PhD student at National Taiwan University investigating spindle checkpoint regulation in male meiotic division. The paper discusses the regulation of cell division in multicellular organisms and the challenges associated with studying the second male meiotic division. Chen chose the Journal of Cell Science for publication due to its prestigious reputation and focus on high-quality research in cell biology. Chen expresses gratitude to their mentor and discusses their motivation for pursuing a career in science. Their future plans include completing their PhD and pursuing a postdoctoral role abroad. [Extracted from the article]

Background. Left ventricular (LV) diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) is the defining feature of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) and predicts subsequent incident heart failure (HF) and all-cause mortality. Mounting evidence reveals that cardiometabolic risk factors play critical roles in the development of LVDD. In this study, we sought to investigate the relation between serum uric acid (SUA) level and the progression of LVDD in apparently healthy patients. Methods. A total of 1082 apparently healthy subjects without diagnosed cardiovascular disease and LVDD were consecutively enrolled. SUA levels were measured, and repeat echocardiography and tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) were performed at baseline and during 1-year follow-up. Results. By dividing the study population based on quartiles of SUA, we found subjects in higher quartiles had greater increases in TDI-derived early diastolic velocity (e ′) and E (peak LV filling velocity)/e ′ ratios during 1-year follow-up. After multivariate adjustment, high SUA persisted to be an independent predictor for the subsequent worsening of LVDD (odds ratio: 1.351 [95% CI 1.125~1.625], per 100 μmol/L SUA). Subgroup analysis suggested that the association between SUA and LVDD development was more pronounced in subjects without other cardiometabolic risk factors involved. Factor analysis demonstrated that high SUA was the major cardiometabolic attribute in patients with LVDD progression. Conclusion. Our findings suggest that high SUA is an independent cardiometabolic risk factor for the progression of LVDD in apparently healthy subjects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to study the effect of device structures and silicon wafer positions on light-induced degradation (LID) and regeneration, five groups of industrial PERC and Al-BSF solar cells were fabricated by using silicon wafers from different positions of a B-doped Czochralski silicon (Cz-Si) ingot. Then, the cells were subjected to a dark annealing (200 °C, 30 min), the first LID (45 °C, 1 sun, 12 h), an electrical injection regeneration (175 °C, 18 A, 30 min) and the second LID (45 °C, 1 sun, 12 h) in order, and the variations of performance of the cells with processing time were measured. It was found that after the electrical injection regeneration, the efficiency losses of PERC cells decreased from 1.28–1.76%absolute in the first LID to 0.09–0.16%absolute in the second LID, while those of Al-BSF cells decreased from 0.3–0.66%absolute in the first LID to 0 in the second LID. The efficiency losses of PERC cells during the first LID were caused by the co-action of B-O-defect-induced LID (BO-LID) and dissociation of Fe-B pairs, and the latter contributed 5.81–9.56% of the efficiency loss, while those of Al-BSF cells during the first LID were almost contributed by BO-LID solely. For both kinds of cells, the cells made from the silicon wafers from middle of the ingot had the best performance throughout the experiment. In addition, the LID and regeneration treatments only affected the spectral response of the cells in the wavelength larger than 700 nm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional method for preparing boron carbon nitride (BCN) usually involves solvents in the pretreatment process before pyrolysis at high temperature. Here, we report that highly porous BCN with controllable 3D morphology can be synthesized successfully by rapid solvent-free ball milling followed by pyrolysis processes using B 2 O 3 , dicyandiamide (DCD) and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) as the sources of B, N and C, respectively. It is found that the porosity of the synthesized BCN varies from the amount of carbon source and the maximum specific surface area of 1386.7 m2g-1 with pore volume of 1.13 cm3g-1 can be achieved. The as-synthesized porous BCN materials exhibit excellent sorption capacities for methyl blue (MB), Congo red (CR) and basic yellow-1 (BY) up to 1220, 865.2 and 560 mgg−1, respectively. Such outstanding adsorption performance is mainly due to the high porosity with polar surface of the BCN. Furthermore, the BCN can be easily regenerated by combustion in air at 400 °C and used repeatedly. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A thermodynamically and kinetically stable 3D hierarchical carbonaceous nanostructure is constructed to examine its potential as an anode for sodium‐ion batteries (SIBs). Heptagonal and quadrilateral staggered carbon rings are formed where the graphite layers and the CNT interconnect vertically. Based on first‐principles calculations, such a graphite‐CNT hybrid with expanded interlayer spacing allows effective binding to Na atoms and contributes a high specific capacity of 324.3 mAh g−1. It maintains a great electronic conductivity for both pristine and Na‐adsorbed graphite‐CNT along the expanded graphite layers, and constructs a 3D electronic transport network when a large number of Na atoms are adsorbed. This hierarchical nanostructure predicts a fast inner 3D Na‐ion transport network, with energy barriers of 0.56 and 0.50 eV along the expanded graphite layer and the CNT channel, respectively. This research manifests the feasibility of obtaining well‐performed graphite‐based anodes for SIBs through purposeful microcosmic morphology modification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the structural topology optimization (STO), the step-size of the parametric level set method (PLSM) using the explicit scheme must satisfy the Courant-Friedrichs-Lewy (CFL) condition to ensure numerical stability. However, much larger step-sizes are arbitrarily used to speed up the convergence. For this reason, a narrowband in the velocity field is defined, and the step-size adaptive parametric level set method (SAPLSM) is proposed, which multiplies different step-sizes for the velocity of different nodes. The SAPLSM satisfies the CFL condition not only on the narrowband, but also on the entire design domain. Furthermore, a narrowband annealing (NA) scheme based on "annealing" is proposed to dynamically adjust the maximum step-size during the iterations. Numerical experimental results of several benchmark problems in two-dimensional minimum compliance show that: (1) The SAPLSM is more stable than PLSM under large step-sizes and complex problems. (2) The NA scheme not only accelerates the convergence of SAPLSM but also alleviates mesh dependence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a major type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which could induce bloody stool, diarrhea, colon atrophy and eventually lead to colorectal cancer. The conventional daily oral administration of drugs only relieve the inflammatory response of colon in the short term, Biological agents such as antibody drugs has proven its efficiency in inhibiting colitis, while the low drug bioavailability means that large doses of antibodies are required, ultimately causing systemic toxicity. Small interfering RNA (siRNA) has significant advantages over antibody drugs in terms of safety and efficacy, and it have been widely applied as potential candidates for a variety of inflammation-related diseases. However, oral delivery of siRNA fails to overcome the degradation of the gastrointestinal environment to produce a significant therapeutic effect in ulcerative colitis. Herein, we design the hybrid delivery system that the siRNA loaded MOF encapsulated in the sodium alginate particles to overcome the barriers in the oral process. Results: The hybrid delivery system (SA@MOF-siRNATNFα) was successfully constructed, and it could not only survive the low pH environment in the stomach and small intestine, but also taken up more by inflammatory macrophages, as well as released much more MOF-siRNATNFα. Moreover, SA@MOF-siRNATNFα tended to enriched and infiltrated into local colon tissues. As a result, SA@MOF-siRNATNFα significantly reduced the progression of colitis, of which the treated mice did not experience significant weight loss, bloody stools and diarrhea. Conclusion: We confirmed that the formulation of hydrogel–metal-organic framework hybrids could improve the protection of incorporated payload in the gastric and early small intestine, enhancing the delivery of MOF-siRNA to colon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic and relapsing disease that can be complicated by abscesses, fistulas, or strictures of the damaged bowel. Endoscopy or imaging studies are required to diagnose and monitor the treatment response or complications of the disease. Due to the low incidence of the disease in Taiwan, the pattern of radiation exposure from medical imaging has not been well studied previously. This retrospective study aimed to evaluate the pattern of radiation exposure in 134 Taiwanese IBD patients (45 CD and 89 UC) diagnosed and followed at Changhua Christian Hospital from January 2010 to December 2020. We reviewed the patient demographic data and radiation-containing image studies performed during the follow-up. The cumulative effective dose (CED) was calculated for each patient. During a median follow-up of 4 years, the median CED was higher for patients with CD (median CED 21.2, IQR 12.1–32.8) compared to patients with UC (median CED 2.1, IQR 0–5.6) (p < 0.001). In addition, the CD patients had a trend of a higher rate of cumulative ≥50 mSv compared with the UC patients (6.7% vs. 1.1%, p = 0.110). In conclusion, our study found a higher radiation exposure among CD patients compared to patients with UC, representing the complicated nature of the disease. Therefore, increasing the use of radiation-free medical imaging such as intestinal ultrasound or magnetic resonance imaging should be advocated in daily practice to decrease the risk of excessive radiation exposure in these patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three different MnO2 polymorphs, α-MnO2 , β-MnO2 , and δ-MnO2 , with K+ -tuned tunnel structures were loaded on sludge-based biochar (BC). Then MnO2 -loaded BCs served as the catalyst for ciprofloxacin (CIP) removal. Results showed that as-prepared materials exhibited better catalytic activity than raw BC, among which BC-α-MnO2 achieved superior CIP removal than BC-β-MnO2 and BC-δ-MnO2. CIP removal increased when pH increased from 3 to 5, then slightly decreased with further increase of pH. Desorption experiments confirmed that both adsorption and degradation contributed to the CIP removal by MnO2 -loaded BCs. Compared with the raw BC, the contribution of degradation increased 27.87%, 19.87%, and 14.19%, respectively, for BC-α-MnO2 , BC-β-MnO2 , and BC-δ-MnO2. The radical quenching experiments and electron paramagnetic resonance tests demonstrated the existence of reactive oxidation species (ROS) including O2−• , •OH, and O21. The O2−• and •OH were the main ROS during CIP degradation by BC, while O21 was the main ROS for MnO2 -loaded BCs. BC-α-MnO2 featured the most abundant ROS, followed by BC-β-MnO2 and BC-δ-MnO2. The persistent free radicals and Mn in MnO2 -loaded BCs may serve as the active site for electron transfer during the degradation process, thus leading to the generation of O2−• , •OH, and O21. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The epidermis maintains a cellular calcium gradient that supports keratinocyte differentiation from its basal layers (low) to outer layers (high) leading to the development of the stratum corneum, which resists penetration of UV radiation. The calcium‐sensing receptor (CaSR) expressed in keratinocytes responds to the calcium gradient with signals that promote differentiation. In this study, we investigated whether the CaSR is involved more directly in protection from UV damage in studies of human keratinocytes in primary culture and in mouse skin studied in vivo. siRNA‐directed reductions in CaSR protein levels in human keratinocytes significantly reduced UV‐induced direct cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers (CPD) by ~80% and oxidative DNA damage (8‐OHdG) by ~65% compared with control transfected cells. Similarly, in untransfected cells, the CaSR negative modulator, NPS‐2143 (500 nm), reduced UV‐induced CPD and 8‐OHdG by ~70%. NPS‐2143 also enhanced DNA repair and reduced reactive oxygen species (ROS) by ~35% in UV‐exposed keratinocytes, consistent with reduced DNA damage after UV exposure. Topical application of NPS‐2143 also protected hairless Skh:hr1 mice from UV‐induced CPD, oxidative DNA damage and inflammation, similar to the reductions observed in response to the well‐known photoprotection agent 1,25(OH)2D3 (calcitriol). Thus, negative modulators of the CaSR offer a new approach to reducing UV‐induced skin damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aichivirus C is an emerging virus in goats, but its biological significance remains unknown. In this study, 18 diarrheic and 16 non‐diarrheic faecal samples of kids were collected from a farm with an on‐going diarrheic outbreak in Sichuan Province, China in May 2021. Of these samples, 77.8% (14/18) of diarrheic samples were detected as Aichivirus C positive by RT‐PCR, which was significantly higher than that of non‐diarrheic faces (0%, p <.001); meanwhile, other common diarrhoea‐causing pathogens in goats were not detected in diarrheic samples, except for two samples that were detected as caprine enterovirus positive, suggesting that Aichivirus C was associated with goat diarrhoea. Furthermore, five Aichivirus C strains were successfully isolated from positive samples using Vero cell lines and two isolates were further plaque‐purified, named SWUN/F5/2021(10–6.7TCID50/0.1 mL) and SWUN/F6/2021(10–7TCID50/0.1 mL). Interestingly, Aichivirus C strain could cause systemic infection in experimental kids via oral administration, with the main clinical manifestation being severe watery diarrhoea. Histopathological changes observed in the duodenum and jejunum were characteristic, with shedding of mucosal epithelial cells. In addition, the virus was detected in tissues of diarrhoea kids naturally infected with Aichivirus C, exhibiting pathological changes similar to those of experimental infections. Overall, this study first isolated Aichivirus C and confirmed its pathogenicity in kids, with further study needed to better understand the virus pathogenicity. As Aichivirus C has been detected in South Korea, Italy and the USA and widely prevalent in southwest China, the results obtained here have significant implications for the diagnosis and control of diarrhoea in goats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oligodendrocyte lineage cells (OL-lineage cells) are a cell population that are crucial for mammalian central nervous system (CNS) myelination. OL-lineage cells go through developmental stages, initially differentiating into oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs), before becoming immature oligodendrocytes, then mature oligodendrocytes (OLs). While the main function of cell lineage is in myelin formation, and increasing number of studies have turned to explore the immunological characteristics of these cells. Initially, these studies focused on discovering how OPCs and OLs are affected by the immune system, and then, how these immunological changes influence the myelination process. However, recent studies have uncovered another feature of OL-lineage cells in our immune systems. It would appear that OL-lineage cells also express immunological factors such as cytokines and chemokines in response to immune activation, and the expression of these factors changes under various pathologic conditions. Evidence suggests that OL-lineage cells actually modulate immune functions. Indeed, OLlineage cells appear to play both "victim" and "agent" in the CNS which raises a number of questions. Here, we summarize immunologic changes in OL-lineage cells and their effects, as well as consider OL-lineage cell changes which influence immune cells under pathological conditions. We also describe some of the underlying mechanisms of these changes and their effects. Finally, we describe several studies which use OL-lineage cells as immunotherapeutic targets for demyelination diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, graphene oxide (GO) was prepared by the improved Hummers method, and a synergistically stabilized emulsion of GO and emulsifier was formulated. The best emulsion formula obtained by Response Surface Methodology consists of 1.39? GO, and 2.92? OP-10; the water-oil ratio is 4:6, achieving an emulsion index of 92.83%. The emulsion still maintained good stability under high temperature and high salt conditions, meeting the environmental requirements of medium and low permeability reservoirs. For injected water flooding, emulsion flooding could increase the oil recovery by 15.41%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A comprehensive analysis is derived to understand the mechanism of phase errors in cascode CMOS variable gain amplifiers (VGAs). According to the analysis, source–drain parasitic capacitors ($C_{\mathrm {ds}}$) of common gate (CG) transistors in off-region are the main causes for phase errors. An independent cascode current canceling (ICCC) VGA is proposed to relax phase errors by minimizing the effect of $C_{\mathrm {ds}}$ within a broadband. The proposed VGA achieves a 16-dB gain control with a 1.6° phase error and a 0.2-dB gain error from 15 to 25 GHz by 40-nm CMOS technology. Owing to the cascode structure, the peak gain of the VGA is 12 dB with only one stage including input–output pads consuming 16-mW power from 1.1-V voltage. Besides, the VGA can also serve as a 180° phase shifter (PS) due to ICCC structure with a 1.5° phase error and a 0.2-dB gain error from 15 to 25 GHz. The measured −3-dB bandwidth is 5 GHz, and output 1-dB compression point (OP1dB) is over 2.5 dBm in the maximum gain state. The core area is 0.065 mm2 excluding input–output pads. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The quantification of developmental potential is critical for determining developmental stages and identifying essential molecular signatures in single-cell studies. Here, we present FitDevo, a novel method for inferring developmental potential using scRNA-seq data. The main idea of FitDevo is first to generate sample-specific gene weight (SSGW) and then infer developmental potential by calculating the correlation between SSGW and gene expression. SSGW is generated using a generalized linear model that combines sample-specific information and gene weight learned from a training dataset covering scRNA-seq data of 17 previously published datasets. We have rigorously validated FitDevo's effectiveness using a testing dataset with scRNA-seq data from 28 existing datasets and have also demonstrated its superiority over current methods. Furthermore, FitDevo's broad application scope has been illustrated using three practical scenarios: deconvolution analysis of epidermis, spatial transcriptomic data analysis of hearts and intestines, and developmental potential analysis of breast cancer. The source code and related data are available at https://github.com/jumphone/fitdevo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Situs inversus totalis (SIT) is a relatively rare congenital abnormality in which the major thoracic and abdominal visceral organs are reversed from their usual positions. In patients with SIT and bronchial carcinoma, surgical difficulty increases sharply. It has been reported that the video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) still poses the operator to a challenge situation. The similarity of surgical positions and the flexibility of the mechanical arm in robotic surgery, may be beneficial to SIT patients due to reducing technical difficulties. Here, we present a first case of SIT patient with lung cancer, in which Da Vinci robot-assisted thoracic surgery (RATS) was performed successfully.Case Presentation: A 66-year old patient, previously diagnosed with SIT since childhood, came to our hospital with two pulmonary nodules in his left lung field. The bigger one had increased somewhat for the last 2 years of follow-up. Software Mimics was preoperatively carried out to analyze anatomical variations. RATS was conducted to complete left upper lobectomy and left middle wedge resection. The patient had no intraoperative complications and was discharged day 5 after the operation.Conclusions: This is the first report of a successful robot-assisted lung cancer resection in a patient with SIT. In such challenging cases as lung cancer and rare anomaly as SIT, RATS is more advantageous and suitable than VATS with the help of software Mimics utilized for 3D reconstruction, which can identify the anatomical abnormalities and facilitate the surgical procedures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heterocyclic amines (HCAs), which are known carcinogens in thermally processed foods, were investigated in roast lamb patties under various time and temperature conditions. HCAs in lamb products roasted at some temperatures increased with roasting time. An exponential model with a time factor fit well for the production of HCAs. The mean pH and cooking loss at various temperatures were also determined. The mean pH decreased as the temperature increased. Coreopsis extract was added to lamb patties roasted at 230°C for 15 min per side. The amount of coreopsis extract added had a significant effect on HCA development. A weak positive relationship was observed between the antioxidant activity of the lamb patty with the coreopsis extract and the inhibitory effect of coreopsis extract on various HCAs, with a correlation coefficient of 0.14 to 0.44 (P > 0.05). Coreopsis extract containing flavonoids can be a beneficial additive for production of barbecue meat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heterocyclic amines (HCAs), which are known carcinogens in thermally processed foods, were investigated in roast lamb patties under various time and temperature conditions. HCAs in lamb products roasted at some temperatures increased with roasting time. An exponential model with a time factor fit well for the production of HCAs. The mean pH and cooking loss at various temperatures were also determined. The mean pH decreased as the temperature increased. Coreopsis extract was added to lamb patties roasted at 230°C for 15 min per side. The amount of coreopsis extract added had a significant effect on HCA development. A weak positive relationship was observed between the antioxidant activity of the lamb patty with the coreopsis extract and the inhibitory effect of coreopsis extract on various HCAs, with a correlation coefficient of 0.14 to 0.44 (P >0.05). Coreopsis extract containing flavonoids can be a beneficial additive for production of barbecue meat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Supraorbital keyhole craniotomy is a minimally invasive approach used to access the parasellar region with advantages of decreased cortical exposure, simple closure, and decreased risk of postoperative cerebrospinal fluid leak. The incision of this approach, however, has raised cosmetic concerns, especially for pediatric patients. The aim of this study is to assess postoperative complications and cosmeses of the supraorbital keyhole approach for resection of intracranial lesions in pediatric patients. A literature search of PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases was performed on June 1, 2021, searching for all studies of pediatric patients undergoing supraorbital keyhole craniotomy for surgical resection of lesions in the anterior fossa/sellar region. Of 729 unique hits, 15 supraorbital keyhole studies reporting on 177 pediatric cases were included in the final review. Quality of all included studies was moderate. Overall, the surgery was well tolerated with a low number of severe adverse events. A wide variety of pathologies were treated with this approach. Complications of surgery included changes in vision, epidural hematoma, subdural hematoma, cerebrospinal fluid leak, and wound infection. At 6 weeks of follow-up, surgical scars in most patients were noted to be minimally detectable. At 3–6 months of follow-up, scars were no longer visible. Cosmetic complications included 5 bone defects, 1 split eyebrow, and 1 case of ptosis. This study suggests that supraorbital keyhole craniotomy is a safe and effective approach to access the parasellar region in pediatric patients with excellent cosmetic outcomes reported across multiple institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cell-free protein synthesis (CFPS) systems are emerging as powerful platforms for in vitro protein production, which leads to the development of new CFPS systems for different applications. To expand the current CFPS toolkit, here we develop a novel CFPS system derived from a chassis microorganism Klebsiella pneumoniae, an important industrial host for heterologous protein expression and the production of many useful chemicals. First, we engineered the K. pneumoniae strain by deleting a capsule formation-associated wzy gene. This capsule-deficient strain enabled easy collection of the cell biomass for preparing cell extracts. Then, we optimized the procedure of cell extract preparation and the reaction conditions for CFPS. Finally, the optimized CFPS system was able to synthesize a reporter protein (superfolder green fluorescent protein, sfGFP) with a maximum yield of 253 ± 15.79 μg/mL. Looking forward, our K. pneumoniae-based CFPS system will not only expand the toolkit for protein synthesis, but also provide a new platform for constructing in vitro metabolic pathways for the synthesis of high-value chemicals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In inertial confinement fusion, the ignition threshold factor (ITF), defined as the ratio of the available shell kinetic energy to the minimum ignition energy, is an important metric for quantifying how far an implosion is from its performance cliff. Traditional ITF research is based on analytical theories with explicit scaling laws and parameters obtained by numerically fitting simulation data. This present study uses machine learning (ML) methods to train implicit but more reliable ITF expressions. One-dimensional numerical simulations are used to develop a dataset with 20 000 targets, in which alpha particle heating magnifies the fusion yield by a factor of 6.5. These targets are defined as marginal ignition targets whose ITF equals unity. ML models such as neural networks, support vector machines, and Gaussian processes are trained to connect the minimum ignition velocity vigt with other implosion parameters, yielding an ML-based ITF of (v imp / v igt) 7.5 , where vimp represents the implosion velocity. Then, these ML models are used to obtain curves of the ignition probability vs the ITF and improved ignition cliffs that show considerably better accuracy than traditional scaling laws, which are observed. The results demonstrate that ML methods have promising application prospects for quantifying ignition margins and can be useful in optimizing ignition target designs and practical implosion experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Sodium picosulfate/magnesium citrate (SPMC) is a small-volume bowel cleansing agent with similar efficacy to and better tolerability than polyethylene glycol. However, we found no data on which SPMC preparation (same-day vs. split-dose) provides better bowel cleansing efficacy for afternoon colonoscopy. Aims: To compare bowel cleansing efficacy of different timing of the regimen. Methods: This randomized, single-center, endoscopist-blinded, noninferior study compared same-day and split-dose SPMC preparations for afternoon colonoscopy in 101 and 96 patients, respectively. We also included a prospective observation group of 100 patients receiving morning colonoscopy to compare bowel preparation between morning and afternoon colonoscopies. Bowel cleansing efficacy was then evaluated by the Aronchick Scale, Ottawa Bowel Preparation Scale (OBPS), Boston Bowel Preparation Scale (BBPS), and the Bubble Scale. Results: Same-day and split-dose preparations were similar in efficacy in all four scales. In the Aronchick Scale, the success rate (excellent and good cleanliness) was higher in same-day preparation than in split-dose preparation (100% vs. 92.8%). The same-day preparation also obtained a better OBPS score (1.4 vs. 2.1), but BBPS showed no difference between such groups (7.7 vs. 7.4). Conclusion: Same-day preparation with SPMC is not inferior to split-dose preparation for afternoon colonoscopy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Obesity is a common clinical disease, in order to take a healthy and simple way to treat it, the volatile properties of traditional Chinese medicine play a role in lifting weights. Aromatherapy uses the four qi and five flavors of traditional Chinese medicine as a typical representative. In order to explore the mechanism of action of aromatherapy in depth, through the etiology and pathogenesis of obesity, the historical origin of modern times, related organs, pathogenesis, and the research progress of aromatherapy in the treatment of obesity, the classification of aromatherapy, and the related research of aromatic drugs, it is found that aromatherapy has a large number of significant clinical effects in modern times. It can be used to treat obesity independently under the guidance of the basic theory of Chinese medicine, and can also be combined with other Chinese medicines to form prescription drug treatment, and in combination with other ways to treat obesity. However, at present, this method of treating obesity has not received widespread attention, and it still needs to be studied and promoted by scholars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sanicula (Apiaceae subfam. Saniculoideae) is a taxonomically difficult genus of medicinal value. Its distribution center is in China, where there are 18 species (11 of which are endemic). To provide plastid genome resources, whole chloroplast genomes of five Sanicula species (S. flavovirens, S. giraldii, S. lamelligera, S. odorata and S. rubriflora) were sequenced and compared to the previously published S. orthacantha plastome. These genomes exhibit a typical quadripartite structure. All contain 129 different genes, including 84 protein‐coding, 37 tRNA and 8 rRNA genes. The loci rpl2, matK, psbA and ycf1 are the most variable. Results of maximum likelihood analysis of 90 whole plastome sequences from Apioideae and Saniculoideae and the outgroup Hydrocotyle (Araliaceae) suggest sectional relationships in Sanicula different from the traditional classification system, but support the monophyly of Apioideae and its sister group relationship to Saniculoideae and show concordant topologies to nrDNA ITS and other plastome‐based phylogenies. Sanicula orthacantha and S. chinensis form a sister group to S. lamelligera and S. odorata, consecutively. These four species comprise a sister group to the clade of S. rubriflora and S. flavovirens, with this entire group sister to S. giraldii. The plastid genome resources provided herein will be important for future systematic, evolutionary, phylogenomic and population‐level studies of Sanicula. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a switch-mode rectifier-based electric power architecture with an integrated ground power unit for more electric aircraft. The well-regulated high-voltage dc-bus is established from the aircraft generator. And the conventional major 270-Vdc, 28-Vdc, and 115-Vac/400-Hz buses are also preserved. In landed conditions, the ground power unit function powered by the mains is inherently possessed thanks to the proposed integrated schematic. First, the developed switch-mode rectifier using a silicon-carbide device with a wide frequency range covering utility line frequency and aircraft generated varied high frequency is presented. The allowable energy storage inductances using the embedded generator armature winding are derived. Good generator armature power quality and well-regulated dc output voltage are preserved by the designed current and voltage control schemes. Next, the utility grid-powered ground power unit established by the embedded schematic is introduced. Finally, the inverter for generating the 115-Vac/400-Hz three-phase source and the dc–dc converter for establishing the 270-Vdc bus are constructed. Normal operations, good dynamic, and steady-state performances of all the constructed power stages are verified experimentally, which can confirm the feasibility of the proposed aircraft power architecture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To investigate the broad‐spectrum antifungal activity of Burkholderia sp. BV6, that is isolated from rice roots and its biocontrol potential against rice blast caused by Magnaporthe oryzae. Methods and Results: We evaluated the ability to isolate BV6 in the biological control of rice blast disease and investigated its antifungal mechanisms. BV6 strongly inhibited the hyphal growth of M. oryzae Guy11 and other plant pathogenic fungi, and pot experiments showed that BV6 significantly decreases the disease index of rice blast from 47.5 to 24.6. The secreted small‐molecule secondary metabolites were regarded as weapons during the antifungal process by inhibiting the germination of M. oryzae conidia and mycelial growth, and thereby prevent the following infection. Liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis of the metabolites from the supernatant of isolate BV6 showed that the antifungal weapons of isolate BV6 are novel, small, molecular hydrophilic compounds that are different from reported antifungal compounds. Conclusions: The isolate BV6 inhibits the M. oryzae infection by the production of small‐molecule antifungal compounds. Significance and Impact of the Study: The current study discovers the role of the Burkholderia sp. BV6 in the biocontrol of plant pathogenic fungi. Therefore, isolate BV6 is a potential candidate for developing a microbial formulation for the biocontrol of the most common disease of rice blast. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inflammation is a significant contributor to ischemic stroke. Isofraxidin has been demonstrated to play an anti-inflammatory role in different diseases. However, its role in cerebral ischemia injury still needs to be explored. Using BV2 cells subjected to oxygen and glucose deprivation as a model for cerebral ischemia injury, we have shown that isofraxidin treatment alleviates cell injury and apoptosis, reduces inflammation, and decreases oxidative stress by suppressing NF-κB/NLRP3 pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel decoupling method based on the superposition principle is proposed for compact multi-input–multi-output (MIMO) antenna systems in this work. A dielectric block is introduced to encompass all radiators in a compact MIMO system and works as a decoupler when the block is appropriately designed. Owing to the presence of dielectric–air boundary (DAB) introduced by the dielectric block, scattered paths show up for electromagnetic (EM) waves inside the block. For any two encompassed primary radiators, mutual couplings via the direct and scattered paths are superposed one on another. Because the scatted wave paths can be controlled by changing the shape and dimension of the DAB, mutual coupling between two encompassed primary radiators can be minimized with a properly designed DAB. To illustrate this decoupling principle, the electric field distribution of a basic Hertzian dipole wrapped in a dielectric decoupler is first studied. Results show that this method can generate several field valleys inside the dielectric block and can lead to good isolation when a second radiator is placed at a valley. A dual-port antenna wrapped in a dielectric decoupler is then proposed for demonstration. By optimizing the DAB shape, this antenna can realize a measured 20 dB isolation bandwidth of 12.6%, covering the whole 3.3–3.7 GHz 5G frequency range 1 (FR1) band. Furthermore, a quad-port decoupled antenna is studied to show the generality of the proposed decoupling method. Using a hollow rectangular dielectric block, isolations among four ports of more than 21.5 dB can be obtained in the 3.3–3.7 GHz band with a 20-dB isolation bandwidth of 18%. The envelope correlation coefficients (ECCs) and calculated ergodic channel capacity (CC) results show that the proposed compact dual-port and quad-port antennas are competitive for MIMO applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, five groups of industrial aluminium back-surface-field (Al-BSF) solar cells were made from silicon wafers from different locations of a B-doped Czochralski silicon ingot. Then, we performed the first LID (45 °C, 1 sun, 12 h), regeneration (100 °C, 1 sun, 24 h), and second LID (45 °C, 1 sun, 12 h) treatments on the cells, and measured the in-situ changes of their I-V characteristic parameters by using an I-V tester during the experiment. The cells were also characterized by Suns-Voc measurement, full-area light beam induced current scanning, and external quantum efficiency measurement at the four breakpoints of treatments (before and after the first LID, after regeneration and the second LID). It was found that the LID and regeneration of the Al-BSF solar cells can be explained by the LID and regeneration reaction of B-O defects and the LID caused by dissociation of Fe-B pairs. After regeneration, the relative decay rate of efficiency decreased from 2.75–3.8% during the first LID to 0.42–1.23% during the second LID, indicating that regeneration treatment (100 °C, 1 sun, 24 h) can improve the anti-LID ability of Al-BSF solar cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Before carbon capture and storage technologies can truly be promoted and applied, and nuclear or renewable energy power generation can become predominant, it is important to further develop more efficient and ultra-low emission USC units on the basis of leveraging the strengths of CFB technology. In view of this complex system with strong nonlinearity such as the boiler-turbine unit of a thermal power unit, the establishment of a model that is suitable for control is indispensable for the operation and the economics of the process. In this study the form of the nonlinear model after linearization at the steady-state point has been fully considered and an improved subspace identification method, which is based on the steady-state point deviations data, was proposed in order to identify a piecewise affine model. In addition, the construction of the excitation signal in practical applications has been fully considered. The identification results demonstrate that this method has a better adaptability to strong nonlinear systems. The identification normalized root mean square errors of each working condition were almost all less than 10%. On this basis, a framework that is widely applicable to complex system control has been established by combining with the mixed logic dynamic (MLD) model. The canonical form realization was performed in order to transfer the local models into the same state basis. The predictive control was carried out on the boiler-turbine system of a 660-MW ultra-supercritical circulating fluidized bed unit that was based on the above framework. The results indicate that the predictive control performance is closely related to the setting value of the ramp rate and, therefore, prove the effectiveness of the framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dimeric prodrug-based carrier-free nanomedicines have been recognized as promising candidate for tumor chemotherapy. The molecular structure of the dimeric prodrugs has been widely investigated, including the intracellular stimuli responsibilities and their sensitivity, but their aggregation structure has not been explored by now. Here, the effect of aggregation structures of dimeric prodrug-based carrier-free nanomedicines for tumor chemotherapy was investigated with a reduction-triggered doxorubicin dimer (D-DOXss) as model. Different aggregation structures could be achieved with various fabrication strategies, by controlling the formation of the π–π stacking interactions between the conjugated anthraquinone ring in doxorubicin (DOX), leading to distinct drug release performance and in vitro anti-tumor efficacy. The finding is expected to open new ideas for the future design and development of chemotherapeutic formulations. [Display omitted] • Aggregation structure of dimeric prodrug was controlled by fabrication strategies. • Affecting the cytotoxicity of the dimeric prodrug-based carrier-free nanomedicines. • Due to the π–π stacking between the dimeric prodrugs in different degrees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conventional preference analysis methods often implicitly neglect the influence of online review reliability and cannot fully consider customer psychological needs, e.g., reference-level dependence and interactions among criteria, which results in insufficient explanatory power and prediction of customer behavior. In this paper, an evidence theory-based multicriteria group decision-making (MCGDM) method for evaluating the comprehensive preferences of customers is proposed, and a recommendation framework for different customer types is developed in which probabilistic linguistic term sets (PLTS) are utilized to determine the evaluation information of customer groups from online reviews. As conflicting reviews with various opinions constitute multiple information sources, evidence theory is applied to consider the reliability of sources when integrating multisource information, thus reducing the impact of unreliable information on the final results. In addition, complex interactions between criteria are considered by using a level-dependent Choquet integral, which is regarded as an efficient tool for simulating customer psychological behavior. The framework can distill large volumes of qualitative data into quantitative insights into the factors influencing customer purchase decisions so that social platforms can make more informed recommendations. To verify the feasibility of this method, a real case study is conducted. The result indicates that this method can provide new ideas for customer preference analysis based on online reviews, and can provide product recommendations for different customer groups. Based on the above, the proposed evidence theory-based MCGDM method effectively improves the accuracy of the utilization of online reviews in management engineering theory and practice in tourism industry and other aspects. • Combine evidence theory with MCGDM to reduce the impact of unreliable online reviews. • Apply probabilistic linguistic term sets to express large-scale customers' preferences. • Construct preference model reflecting customers' subjective psychological factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heteroaggregation between polystyrene nanoplastics (PSNPs) and soot nanoparticles (STNPs) in aquatic environments may affect their fate and transport. This study investigated the effects of particle concentration ratio, electrolytes, pH, and humic acid on their heteroaggregation kinetics. The critical coagulation concentration (CCC) ranked CCC PSNPs > CCC PSNPs-STNPs > CCC STNPs , indicating that heteroaggregation rates fell between homoaggregation rates. In NaCl solution, as the PSNPs/STNPs ratio decreased from 9/1 to 3/7, heteroaggregation rate decreased and CCC PSNPs-STNPs increased from 200 to 220 mM due to enhanced electrostatic repulsion. Outlier was observed at PSNPs/STNPs= 1/9, where CCC PSNPs-STNPs = 170 mM and homoaggregation of STNPs dominated. However, in CaCl 2 solution where calcium bridged with STNPs, heteroaggregation rate increased and CCC PSNPs-STNPs decreased from 26 to 5 mM as the PSNPs/STNPs ratio decreasing from 9/1 to 1/9. In composite water samples, heteroaggregation occurred only at estuarine and marine salinities. Acidic condition promoted heteroaggregation via charge screening. Humic acid retarded or promoted heteroaggregation in NaCl or CaCl 2 solutions by steric hindrance or calcium bridging, respectively. Other than van der Waals attraction and electrostatic repulsion, heteroaggregation was affected by steric hindrance, hydrophobic interactions, π − π interactions, and calcium bridging. The results highlight the role of black carbon on colloidal stability of PSNPs in aquatic environments. [Display omitted] • Stability of homo- and heteroaggregation ranked CCC PSNPs > CCC PSNPs-STNPs > CCC STNPs. • Decreasing PSNPs/STNPs ratio generally retarded heteroaggregation in NaCl solution. • Reducing PSNPs/STNPs ratio promoted heteroaggregation in CaCl 2 solution via bridging. • PSNPs and STNPs underwent heteroaggregation at salinity levels of estuary and ocean. • Heteroaggregation was promoted in HA-CaCl 2 solution but retarded in HA-NaCl solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fragility of the skeleton and poor bioaccessibility limit Silica aerogel's application in the food industry. In this study, composite gels were obtained by cross-linking pea proteins isolate (PPI) with Tetraethoxysilane (TEOS)to improve the bioavailability of silica-derived aerogels. It indicated that TEOS first condensed with H+ to form secondary particles and then complexed with PPI via hydroxyl groups to form a composite aerogel. Meanwhile, the PPI-Si composite aerogel formed a dense mesoporous structure with a specific surface area of 312.5 g/cm3. This resulted in a higher oil holding percentage of 89.67 % for the PPI (10 %)-Si aerogel, which was 34.1 % higher than other studies, leading to a more stable oleogel. Finally, as a delivery system, the composite oleogel not only could significantly increase the bioaccessibility rate by 27.4 % compared with silica aerogel, but also could efficiently inhibit the premature release of curcumin in the simulated gastric fluids, while allowed sustainably release in the simulated intestinal fluids. These results provided a theoretical basis for the application of silica-derived aerogels in food and non-food applications. • Pea protein can enhance the pore structure of silica aerogel. • TEOS cross-linked with pea protein through secondary particle and hydroxyl groups. • PPI-Si aerogel mesoporous structure had favorable oil trapping function and form a stable oleogel. • PPI-Si oleogel effectively retarded the release of curcumin, with a small intestinal release rate of 55.48 %. • PPI-Si oleogel retarded oxidation of encapsulated curcumin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conventional preference analysis methods often implicitly neglect the influence of online review reliability and cannot fully consider customer psychological needs, e.g., reference-level dependence and interactions among criteria, which results in insufficient explanatory power and prediction of customer behavior. In this paper, an evidence theory-based multicriteria group decision-making (MCGDM) method for evaluating the comprehensive preferences of customers is proposed, and a recommendation framework for different customer types is developed in which probabilistic linguistic term sets (PLTS) are utilized to determine the evaluation information of customer groups from online reviews. As conflicting reviews with various opinions constitute multiple information sources, evidence theory is applied to consider the reliability of sources when integrating multisource information, thus reducing the impact of unreliable information on the final results. In addition, complex interactions between criteria are considered by using a level-dependent Choquet integral, which is regarded as an efficient tool for simulating customer psychological behavior. The framework can distill large volumes of qualitative data into quantitative insights into the factors influencing customer purchase decisions so that social platforms can make more informed recommendations. To verify the feasibility of this method, a real case study is conducted. The result indicates that this method can provide new ideas for customer preference analysis based on online reviews, and can provide product recommendations for different customer groups. Based on the above, the proposed evidence theory-based MCGDM method effectively improves the accuracy of the utilization of online reviews in management engineering theory and practice in tourism industry and other aspects. • Combine evidence theory with MCGDM to reduce the impact of unreliable online reviews. • Apply probabilistic linguistic term sets to express large-scale customers' preferences. • Construct preference model reflecting customers' subjective psychological factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deep learning has driven remarkable advancements in medical image segmentation. The requirement for comprehensive annotations, however, poses a significant challenge due to the labor-intensive and expensive nature of expert annotation. Addressing this challenge, we introduce a multiple mixed-supervisory signals learning (MSL) strategy, MixSegNet, that synergistically harnesses the benefits of Fully-Supervised (FSL), Weakly-Supervised (WSL), and Semi-Supervised Learning (SSL). This approach enables the utilization of various data-efficient annotations for network training, promoting efficient medical image segmentation within realistic clinical scenarios. MixSegNet concurrently trains networks with a combination of limited dense labels, a larger proportion of cost-efficient sparse labels, and unlabeled data. The networks utilized in this system comprise Vision Transformer (ViT) and Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN), which work together via an effective strategy including network self-ensembling and label dynamic-ensembling. This strategy adeptly handles the training challenges arising from datasets with limited or absent supervisory signals. We validated MixSegNet on a public Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) cardiac segmentation benchmark dataset. It demonstrated superior performance compared to 21 other SSL or WSL baseline methods under similar labeling-cost conditions, as supported by comprehensive evaluation metrics, and slightly outperform classical FSL methods. The code for MixSegNet, all baseline methods, and the data pre-processing techniques with the datasets for different annotation situations are available at https://github.com/ziyangwang007/MixSegNet. [Display omitted] • MixSegNet: Innovating medical image segmentation with mixed-supervision. • A novel data pre-processing method: Mimicking real-world clinical annotation diversity. • Utilizing CNN and ViT: Enhanced feature extraction in segmentation with multiple networks. • Benchmarking success: MixSegNet excels in MRI cardiac segmentation against various methods. • Promoting openness: MixSegNet, datasets and baseline methods are publicly accessible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1-Naphthol is an important raw material for organic synthesis such as pharmaceuticals, pesticides, dyes, and also the main metabolite of pesticide carbaryl and naphthalene, as well as a common aromatic pollutant in the environment. Microorganisms are the main driving force responsible for the degradation and transformation of 1-naphthol in the environment. Although many 1-naphthol degrading strains have been reported, strain resources with strong environmental adaptability and degradation ability from the marine environment are still relatively scarce. In this study, a 1-naphthol-degrading bacterial strain, Micrococcus sp. strain 2A, was isolated from seawater. The strain completely degraded 1-naphthol by co-metabolism under strong alkaline (pH = 11) and high salt (4 M NaCl) conditions. 1,2-Dihydroxynaphthalene, 2-hydroxychromene-2-carboxylate, 2-hydroxybenzal pyruvate, salicylaldehyde, and salicylate were identified during 1-naphthol degradation. The functional gene orf2030 responsible for the initial degradation of 1-naphthol was also postulated by genome sequencing and comparative proteome analysis. The bioaugmentation test showed that strain 2A could completely remove 0.3 mM 1-naphthol in the wastewater within 144 h. Our study not only enriches the theory of marine microbial metabolism of 1-naphthol but also provides strain resources and technical reserves for the bioremediation of 1-naphthol in high salinity and strong alkaline fine chemical synthetic wastewater. [Display omitted] • Novel Micrococcus sp. 2A was isolated and characterized. • Strain 2A can degrade 1-naphthol under high salt (4 M NaCl) and strong alkaline (pH = 11) condition. • Five degradation intermediates were identified as 1-naphthol degradation products. • A potential 1-naphthol degradation gene was identified by proteome analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The secondary loop system of Hua-long Pressurized Reactor is established. • Steady-state data and dynamic response processes are presented. • Nuclear power unit abnormal operating conditions are simulated. • Model could be used for control strategy development and the results provide reference for safety criteria. Dynamic simulations of nuclear power plant behaviors are critical in plants' lifecycle. However, accurate modeling of nuclear plants is quite a challenge due to the intrinsic complexity involved in the highly coupled processes. In this study, a dynamic model is established to investigate the dynamic characteristics of the secondary circuit system of HPR1000. Specifically, the major components are modeled using lumped parameter method. In addition, model validation is carried out according to the operational data of plants, in which three typical abnormal operating conditions were simulated and analyzed. The results show that the developed model has an error of less than 5% during steady state modeling, and the dynamic response is consistent with the actual operation performance of the plants. Therefore, the dynamic model could be used for control strategy development and accident simulation of the HPR1000. And the simulation provides a basis for the establishment of safety criteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Design of composition and microstructure can effective improve the structural and neutron shielding properties of neutron shielding materials. Based on the shielding standard of 30%B 4 C/Al, an Al-6Mg-5Gd (wt%) alloy was designed by Shmakov-Yamamoto model and successfully fabricated by Powder Metallurgy-based routines (e.g., powder fabrication, spark plasma sintering and hot extrusion techniques). By the rapid solidification in the atomization process, the submicron cell structures were formed in powders. Due to the difference in the original powder size, the as-sintered alloys had heterogeneous microstructures, leading to the bimodal grain structures of as-extruded alloys. During these processes, the formation of nano-sized τ(C15) (Al 4 MgGd) phase in combination with its firstly observed transformation behavior showed the great impacts on microstructure evolutions. Therefore, the as-extruded alloy exhibited the superior yield strength (335±7 MPa), ultimate tensile strength (462±5 MPa) and elongation (10.2±0.3%). Through the neutron absorption test, the as-extruded alloy showed the comparable of macroscopic transmission cross section with 30%B 4 C/Al. In comparison with the available Al-based neutron shielding materials, our report exhibited the best unification of mechanical and functional properties. The underlying mechanisms for synergic strength-ductility behavior were discussed on the nano-sized phase strengthening, α-Al/τ interface modulation, and bimodal grain features. Critically, this work designed and studied a high-performance neutron shielding material, shedding light on the advanced structural-functional integrated materials. [Display omitted] • High performance Al-6Mg-5Gd neutron shielding alloys were designed and fabricated. • Alloys showed microstructures of bimodal grains, nano Laves phase and coherent interface. • Laves phase transformation from C15-C36 phases was firstly reported in Al-Mg-Gd system. • Based on the sufficient shielding property, the superior strength-ductility behavior was discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Asphalt crack repair materials, known as crack sealants, are directly exposed to ultraviolet (UV) radiation in asphalt pavements. This exposure causes the gradual aging and deterioration of both their surface and internal properties. To study this phenomenon, the sealant was subjected to UV irradiation for a range of 0–385 hours, with the basic properties of the aged sealant tested every 55 hours. Several techniques were employed to investigate the changes in the internal chemical composition of the sealant, including Fluorescence microscopy (FM), gel permeation chromatography (GPC) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The results revealed that the UV aging of the sealant mainly occurs in the thinner surface layer, which becomes progressively lighter in color. Notably, obvious surface cracks form after aging process. The cone penetration and softening point of the sealant exhibit an exponential or logarithmic change corresponding to the aging time. The most pronounced changes occur during the early stages of UV aging, with the properties tending to stabilize after approximately 220 h of aging. In addition, the FM images showed that the dispersed polymer particles within the sealant gradually transform into a continuous network structure after aging over time. The GPC spectrum of the aged sealant shifts to the left, indicating an increase in molecular weight, particularly in the polymer modifier. This is consistent with the transformation observed in the FT-IR analysis, which demonstrates that UV irradiation leads to the breaking and recombination of polymer chemical bonds in the sealant. The FT-IR analysis reveals the conversion of monosubstituted benzene to polysubstituted benzene in the polymer modifier, which also correlates with the formation of the network structure observed in the FM images and the increase in molecular weight detected in the GPC spectrum of the polymer modifier. • UV aging of the sealant only exists in its surface, and obvious surface cracks appeare after aging. • Cone penetration and softening point changes exponentially or logarithmically with UV aging time. • Polymer particles dispersed in sealant gradually change into continuous network structure after aging. • The styrene of monosubstituted benzene in polymer gradually changes into poly-substituted benzene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pyridyl-conjugated microporous polymers (CMPs) were synthesized and discovered that the catalyst with a five-membered heterocycle could facilitate O 2 reduction and H 2 O oxidation into H 2 O 2 under photo-irradiation. The electronic state structure of the CMPs was further modulated by incorporating aldehyde-based monomers containing five-membered heterocycles. It was observed that the introduction of an electron-donating thiophene ring (Th-CMP) or a furan ring (Fu-CMP) significantly increased the H 2 O 2 production yield. Remarkably, the H 2 O 2 yield from Th-CMP in pure water and O 2 , without the need for any sacrificial agents, achieved 855 μM h−1, which surpasses most of the reported organic polymer photocatalysts. Mechanism researchs indicated Thiophene groups not only expanded the range for visible light absorption, but also facilitates the separation and migration of charge carriers, thereby providing favorable conditions for H 2 O 2 generation. This study presents a promising and innovative direction to designing cost-effective and efficient CMPs for the photocatalytic generation of H 2 O 2. [Display omitted] • Th-CMP has significant carrier separation efficiency. • Th-CMP has excellent photocatalytic properties for the generation of H 2 O 2. • A mechanism for the photocatalytic generation of H 2 O 2 by Th-CMP was proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The randomized crossover design is better than a randomized controlled design because it is less biased by individual differences. • The BIS of remimazolam was greater than that of propofol during the induction and maintenance of general anesthesia. • The correlation between the BIS and the depth of anesthesia induced by remimazolam needs to be further studied. Remimazolam is a safe and effective new benzodiazepine sedative that has unique advantages in anesthesia induction and maintenance. The differences in the electroencephalogram bispectral index (BIS) during general anesthesia between propofol and remimazolam deserve further exploration. Single-center randomized crossover study. Patients who required multiple hysteroscopic surgery were randomly assigned to use remimazolam (0.27 mg/kg for induction and 1 mg/kg/h for maintenance) first and then propofol (2.0 mg/kg for induction and 6 mg/kg/h for maintenance) during hysteroscopic surgery again 3 months later, or in the opposite order. Both drugs were used at the latest ED 95 for unconsciousness. The BIS values (primary endpoint), intraoperative conditions, and incidence of adverse reactions (secondary endpoints) were compared at each time point. BIS values were analyzed with a mixed model of repeated measurements (MMRM). Seventeen patients completed the study. The lowest BIS value in the remimazolam regimen was significantly higher than that in the propofol regimen (p = 0.001). The MMRM analysis of the BIS values revealed significant differences between the regimens at each time point (p < 0.001). The intraoperative diastolic blood pressure and heart rate changes were smaller, the recovery was faster, and there were fewer adverse reactions and less injection pain, but a greater incidence of intraoperative body movement and hiccups, in the remimazolam regimen. The trial indicated that remimazolam maintained a higher BIS level than propofol. The correlation between the BIS and the depth of anesthesia induced by remimazolam needs to be further studied. This trial is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov: ChiCTR2200064551 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Defect detection of laminated composite plates using ultrasonic guided waves is of great interest nowadays. Nevertheless, it is still a challenging problem to reconstruct the true shape of defects in anisotropic materials. The inverse method proposed in this paper can directly reconstruct the specific shape of defects. Moreover, this method does not need iteration, is simple in form and easy to use. A three-step strategy of this method is performed as follows: Firstly, based on boundary integral equation and Born approximation assumption, flaw shape function and reflection coefficients form a set of Fourier transform pairs; Secondly, we propose an efficient way to quickly obtain Green's function and bring it to step 1. Finally, the actual shape and location of flaws can be inversely reconstructed by reflection coefficients in the whole frequency domain obtained by modified boundary element method (BEM). This method is implemented to reconstruct cavity-type flaws at the interface in a laminated composite plate. The correctness and effectiveness of the proposed method is finally validated for several benchmark problems, and the effect of frequency range, flaw size and mode selection on accuracy of the inverse reconstruction are discussed in detail. [Display omitted] • Accurate reconstruction of locations and shapes of multiple defects. • Finer flaw shape images with high-frequency range scattering data. • Sensitivity to small defects. • Fundamental guided wave mode recommended for flaw reconstruction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Viruses exploit a common survival strategy of inducing host cell polyribonucleotide nucleotidyltransferase 1 (PNPT1). • PNPT1 mitigates the integrated stress response mediated by mitochondrial double-stranded RNAs (mt-dsRNAs) during viral propagation. • PNPT1 depletion inhibits pan-viral propagation by activating the mt-dsRNA-RNA-activated protein kinase-eukaryotic initiation factor 2α signal axis. • The PNPT1 inhibitor, lanatoside C, was identified as a potent blocker of pan-viral propagation. For successful viral propagation within infected cells, the virus needs to overcome the cellular integrated stress response (ISR), triggered during viral infection, which, in turn, inhibits general protein translation. This paper reports a tactic employed by viruses to suppress the ISR by upregulating host cell polyribonucleotide nucleotidyltransferase 1 (PNPT1). The propagation of adenovirus, murine cytomegalovirus and hepatovirus within their respective host cells induces PNPT1 expression. Notably, when PNPT1 is knocked down, the propagation of all three viruses is prevented. Mechanistically, the inhibition of PNPT1 facilitates the relocation of mitochondrial double-stranded RNAs (mt-dsRNAs) to the cytoplasm, where they activate RNA-activated protein kinase (PKR). This activation leads to eukaryotic initiation factor 2α (eIF2α) phosphorylation, resulting in the suppression of translation. Furthermore, by scrutinizing the PNPT1 recognition element and screening 17,728 drugs and bioactive compounds approved by the US Food and Drug Administration, lanatoside C was identified as a potent PNPT1 inhibitor. This compound impedes the propagation of adenovirus, murine cytomegalovirus and hepatovirus, and suppresses production of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 spike protein. These discoveries shed light on a novel strategy to impede pan-viral propagation by activating the host cell mt-dsRNA-PKR-eIF2α signalling axis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the hot deformation behavior of Al–Zn–Mg–Cu alloy through uniaxial hot compression (200 °C–450°C) using the Gleeble-1500. True stress–strain curves were corrected, and three models were established: the Arrhenius model, strain compensated (SC) Arrhenius model, and strain compensated recrystallization temperature (RT) segmentation-based (TS-SC) Arrhenius model. Comparative analysis revealed the limited predictive accuracy of the SC Arrhenius model, with a 25.12% average absolute relative error (AARE), while the TS-SC Arrhenius model exhibited a significantly improved to 9.901% AARE. Material parameter calculations displayed variations across the temperature range. The SC Arrhenius model, utilizing an average slope method for parameter computation, failed to consider temperature-induced disparities, limiting its predictive capability. Hot processing map, utilizing the Murty improved Dynamic Materials Model (DMM), indicated optimal conditions for stable forming of the Al–Zn–Mg–Cu alloy. Microstructural analysis revealed MgZn2 precipitation induced by hot deformation, with crystallographic defects enhancing nucleation rates and precipitate refinement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To investigate the overall and subgroup efficacy, subgroup differences, predictors of efficacy and safety of roxadustat in the treatment of refractory non-severe aplastic anemia (NSAA) and low-risk myelodysplastic syndromes (LR-MDS). Methods Patients with refractory NSAA and LR-MDS who were admitted to the Department of Hematology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital from August 2020 to December 2022 were enrolled. All patients received first-line standard treatment, including recombinant human erythropoietin (rhEPO) for at least 3 months before roxadustat treatment. All patients received roxadustat 2.5 mg/kg every other day for at least 3 months, and were followed up for at least 8 months. The clinical characteristics of patients, roxadustat efficacy, predictors of efficacy, adverse effects,relapse and disease clonal evolution were analyzed. Results A total of 40 patients including 24 refractory NSAA and 16 LR-MDS were included. median age was 56 (18 - 81) years and 40% were males. 65% of the patients were transfusion dependent. Median follow-up was 21 (9 -34) months. 22.5%, 25.0%, 47.5%, 55.0%, 57.5%, 60.0% and 50.0% of the patients achieved haematological improvement-erythroid (HI-E) at months 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and end of the follow-up period, respectively, and no factors affecting HI-E were identified.The hemoglobin change from baseline was statistically different between the two groups at the end of the follow-up period. 50% of patients were relieved from transfusion dependence. Adverse reactions were reported in 22.5% of patients. 28.5% of patients relapsed after achieving HI-E, with a median time to relapse of 7 (4 - 12) months. No clonal evolution was observed at the end of the follow-up period. Conclusions Our preliminary findings suggested that Roxadustat may be effective for patients with NSAA or LR-MDS refractory to conventional therapies and rhEPO, with mild adverse effects and low relapse rate.The degree of hemoglobin improvement may be better in the refractory NSAA patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photoprotective properties of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25(OH)2D3) to reduce UV-induced DNA damage have been established in several studies. UV-induced DNA damage in skin such as single or double strand breaks is known to initiate several cellular mechanisms including activation of poly(ADP-ribose) (pADPr) polymerase-1 (PARP-1). DNA damage from UV also increases extracellular signal-related kinase (ERK) phosphorylation, which further increases PARP activity. PARP-1 functions by using cellular nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) to synthesise pADPr moieties and attach these to target proteins involved in DNA repair. Excessive PARP-1 activation following cellular stress such as UV irradiation may result in excessive levels of cellular pADPr. This can also have deleterious effects on cellular energy levels due to depletion of NAD+ to suboptimal levels. Since our previous work indicated that 1,25(OH)2D3 reduced UV-induced DNA damage in part through increased repair via increased energy availability, the current study investigated the effect of 1,25(OH)2D3 on UV-induced PARP-1 activity using a novel whole-cell enzyme- linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) which quantified levels of the enzymatic product of PARP-1, pADPr. This whole cell assay used around 5000 cells per replicate measurement, which represents a 200–400-fold decrease in cell requirement compared to current commercial assays that measure in vitro pADPr levels. Using our assay, we observed that UV exposure significantly increased pADPr levels in human keratinocytes, while 1,25(OH)2D3 significantly reduced levels of UV-induced pADPr in primary human keratinocytes to a similar extent as a known PARP-1 inhibitor, 3-aminobenzamide (3AB). Further, both 1,25(OH)2D3 and 3AB as well as a peptide inhibitor of ERK-phosphorylation significantly reduced DNA damage in UV-exposed keratinocytes. The current findings support the proposal that reduction in pADPr levels may be critical for the function of 1,25(OH)2D3 in skin to reduce UV-induced DNA damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]